Musk (?), n. [F. musc, L. muscus, Per. musk, fr. Skr. mushka testicle, orig., a little mouse. See Mouse, and cd. Abelmosk, Muscadel, Muscovy duck, Nutmeg.] 1. A substance of a reddish brown color, and when fresh of the consistence of honey, obtained from a bag being behind the navel of the male musk deer. It has a slightly bitter taste, but is specially remarkable for its powerful and enduring odor. It is used in medicine as a stimulant antispasmodic. The term is also applied to secretions of various other animals, having a similar odor.
2. (Zo\'94l.) The musk deer. See Musk deer (below).
3. The perfume emitted by musk, or any perfume somewhat similar.
4. (Bot.) (a) The musk plant (Mimulus moschatus). (b) A plant of the genus Erodium (E. moschatum); -- called also musky heron's-bill. (c) A plant of the genus Muscari; grape hyacinth.
Musk beaver (Zo\'94l.), muskrat (1). -- Musk beetle (Zo\'94l.), a European longicorn beetle (Aromia moschata), having an agreeable odor resembling that of attar of roses. -- Musk cat. See Bondar. -- Musk cattle (Zo\'94l.), musk oxen. See Musk ox (below). -- Musk deer (Zo\'94l.), a small hornless deer (Moschus moschiferus), which inhabits the elevated parts of Central Asia. The upper canine teeth of the male are developed into sharp tusks, curved downward. The male has scent bags on the belly, from which the musk of commerce is derived. The deer is yellow or red-brown above, whitish below. The pygmy musk deer are chevrotains, as the kanchil and napu. -- Musk duck. (Zo\'94l.) (a) The Muscovy duck. (b) An Australian duck (Biziura lobata). -- Musk lorikeet (Zo\'94l.), the Pacific lorikeet (Glossopsitta australis) of Australia. -- Musk mallow (Bot.), a name of two malvaceous plants: (a) A species of mallow (Malva moschata), the foliage of which has a faint musky smell. (b) An Asiatic shrub. See Abelmosk. -- Musk orchis (Bot.), a European plant of the Orchis family (Herminium Minorchis); -- so called from its peculiar scent. -- Musk ox (Zo\'94l.), an Arctic hollow-horned ruminant (Ovibos moschatus), now existing only in America, but found fossil in Europe and Asia. It is covered with a thick coat of fine yellowish wool, and with long dark hair, which is abundant and shaggy on the neck and shoulders. The full-grown male weighs over four hundred pounds. -- Musk parakeet. (Zo\'94l.) Same as Musk lorikeet (above). -- Musk pear (Bot.), a fragrant kind of pear much resembling the Seckel pear. -- Musk plant (Bot.), the Mimulus moschatus, a plant found in Western North America, often cultivated, and having a strong musky odor. -- Musk root (Bot.), the name of several roots with a strong odor, as that of the nard (Nardostachys Jatamansi) and of a species of Angelica. -- Musk rose (Bot.), a species of rose (Rosa moschata), having peculiarly fragrant white blossoms. -- Musk seed (Bot.), the seed of a plant of the Mallow family (Hibiscus moschatus), used in perfumery and in flavoring. See Abelmosk. -- Musk sheep (Zo\'94l.), the musk ox. -- Musk shrew (Zo\'94l.), a shrew (Sorex murinus), found in India. It has a powerful odor of musk. Called also sondeli, and mondjourou. -- Musk thistle (Bot.), a species of thistle (Carduus nutans), having fine large flowers, and leaves smelling strongly of musk. -- Musk tortoise, Musk turtle (Zo\'94l.), a small American fresh-water tortoise (Armochelys, ∨ Ozotheca, odorata), which has a distinct odor of musk; -- called also stinkpot.
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Musk
Musk (?), v. t. To perfume with musk.
Muskadel
Mus"ka*del` (?), n. See Muscadel.
Muskat
Mus"kat (?), n. See Muscat.
Muskellunge
Mus"kel*lunge (?), n. [From the Amer. Indian name.] (Zo\'94l.) A large American pike (Esox nobilitor) found in the Great Lakes, and other Northern lakes, and in the St. Lawrence River. It is valued as a food fish. [Written also maskallonge, maskinonge, muskallonge, muskellonge, and muskelunjeh.]
Musket
Mus"ket (?), n. [F. mousquet, It. moschetto, formerly, a kind of hawk; cf. OF. mousket, moschet, a kind of hawk falcon, F. mouchet, prop., a little fly (the hawk prob. being named from its size), fr. L. musca a fly. Cf. Mosquito.] [Sometimes written also musquet.] 1. (Zo\'94l.) The male of the sparrow hawk.
2. A species of firearm formerly carried by the infantry of an army. It was originally fired by means of a match, or matchlock, for which several mechanical appliances (including the flintlock, and finally the percussion lock) were successively substituted. This arm has been generally superseded by the rifle.<-- completely superseded -->
Musketeer
Mus`ket*eer" (?), n. [F. mousquetaire; cf. It. moschettiere.] A soldier armed with a musket.
Musketo
Mus*ke"to (?), n. See Mosquito.
Musketoon
Mus`ket*oon" (?), n. [F. mousqueton; cf. It. moschettone.] 1. A short musket.
2. One who is armed with such a musket.
Musketry
Mus"ket*ry (?), n. [F. mousqueterie; cf. It. moschetteria.] 1. Muskets, collectively.
2. The fire of muskets.
Motley.
Muskiness
Musk"i*ness (?), n. The quality or state of being musky; the scent of musk.
Muskmelon
Musk"mel`on (?), n. [Musk + melon.] (Bot.) The fruit of a cucubritaceous plant (Cicumis Melo), having a peculiar aromatic flavor, and cultivated in many varieties, the principal sorts being the cantaloupe, of oval form and yellowish flesh, and the smaller nutmeg melon with greenish flesh. See Illust. of Melon.
Muskogees
Mus*ko"gees (?), n. pl.; sing. Muskogee (/). (Ethnol.) A powerful tribe of North American Indians that formerly occupied the region of Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. They constituted a large part of the Creek confederacy. [Written also Muscogees.]
Muskrat
Musk"rat` (?), n. 1. (Zo\'94l.) A North American aquatic fur-bearing rodent (Fiber zibethicus). It resembles a rat in color and having a long scaly tail, but the tail is compressed, the bind feet are webbed, and the ears are concealed in the fur. It has scent glands which secrete a substance having a strong odor of musk. Called also musquash, musk beaver, and ondatra.<-- and sometimes water rat -->
2. (Zo\'94l.) The musk shrew.
3. (Zo\'94l.) The desman.
Muskwood
Musk"wood` (?), n. [So called from its fragrance.] (Bot.) (a) The wood of a West Indian tree of the Mahogany family (Moschoxylum Swartzii). (b) The wood of an Australian tree (Eurybia argophylla).
Musky
Musk"y (?), a. Having an odor of musk, or somewhat the like.
Milton.
Muslim
Mus"lim (?), n. See Moslem.
Muslin
Mus"lin (?), n. [F. mousseline; cf. It. mussolino, mussolo, Sp. muselina; all from Mussoul a city of Mesopotamia, Ar. Mausil, Syr. Mauzol, Muzol, Mosul, where it was first manufactured. Cf. Mull a kind of cloth.] A thin cotton, white, dyed, or printed. The name is also applied to coarser and heavier cotton goods; as, shirting and sheeting muslins.
Muslin cambric. See Cambric. -- Muslin delaine, a light woolen fabric for women's dresses. See Delaine. [Written also mousseline de laine.]
Muslinet
Mus`lin*et" (?), n. [F. mousselinette.] A sort of coarse or light cotton cloth.
Musmon
Mus"mon (?), n. [L. musmo, musimo, a Sardinian animal; cf. Gr. /.] (Zo\'94l.) See Mouflon.
Musomania
Mu`so*ma"ni*a (?), n. See Musicomania.
Musquash
Mus"quash (?), n. [American Indian name.] (Zo\'94l.) See Muskrat.
Musquash root (Bot.), an umbelliferous plant (Cicuta maculata), having a poisonous root. See Water hemlock.
Musquaw
Mus"quaw (?), n. [American Indian name.] (Zo\'94l.) The American black bear. See Bear.
Musquet
Mus"quet (?), n. See Musket.
Musquito
Mus*qui"to (?), n. (Zo\'94l.) See Mosquito.
Musrole, Musrol
Mus"role, Mus"rol (?), n. [F. muserolle, fr. muserau a muzzle, OF. musel. See Muzzle.] The nose band of a horse's bridle.
Muss
Muss (?), n. [Cf. OF. mousche a fly, also, the play called muss, fr. L. musca a fly.] A scramble, as when small objects are thrown down, to be taken by those who can seize them; a confused struggle.
Shak.
Muss
Muss, n. A state of confusion or disorder; -- prob. variant of mess, but influenced by muss, a scramble. [Colloq. U.S.]
Muss
Muss, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mussed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Mussing.] To disarrange, as clothing; to rumple. [Colloq. U.S.]
<-- often used with up = muss up -->
Muss
Muss, n. [Cf. OE. mus a mouse. See Mouse.] A term of endearment. [Obs.] See Mouse.
B. Jonson.
Mussel
Mus"sel (?), n. [See Muscle, 3.] 1. (Zo\'94l.) Any one of many species of marine bivalve shells of the genus Mytilus, and related genera, of the family Mytid\'91. The common mussel (Mytilus edulis; see Illust. under Byssus), and the larger, or horse, mussel (Modiola modiolus), inhabiting the shores both of Europe and America, are edible. The former is extensively used as food in Europe.
2. (Zo\'94l.) Any one of numerous species of Unio, and related fresh-water genera; -- called also river mussel. See Naiad, and Unio.
Mussel digger (Zo\'94l.), the grayback whale. See Gray whale, under Gray.
Mussitation
Mus`si*ta"tion (?), n. [L. mussitatio suppression of the voice, fr. mussitare to be silent, to murmur.] A speaking in a low tone; mumbling. [Obs.]
Mussite
Mus"site (?), n. (Min.) A variety of pyroxene, from the Mussa Alp in Piedmont; diopside.
Mussulman
Mus"sul*man, n.; pl. Mussulmans (#). [Ar. muslim\'c6n, pl. of muslim: cf. F. & Sp. musulman. See Moslem.] A Mohammedan; a Moslem.
Mussulmanic
Mus`sul*man"ic (?), a. Of, pertaining to, or like, the Mussulmans, or their customs: Mohammedan.
Mussulmanish
Mus"sul*man*ish (?), a. Mohammedan.
Mussulmanism
Mus"sul*man*ism (?), n. Mohammedanism.
Mussulmanly
Mus"sul*man*ly, adv. In the manner of Moslems.
Mussy
Muss"y (?), a. [From 2d Muss.] Disarranged; rumpled. [Colloq. U.S.]
Must
Must (?), v. i. ∨ auxiliary. [OE.